Chapter 876 - 682: Red Star Shines
The first matter is the establishment of the Starlight Research Institute.
At this time, within the Cultivation Realm of Song Country, no one could comprehend the true intention behind Shen Xuan’s actions.
The emblem of the Starlight Research Institute is a brilliant shining star, surrounded by countless smaller stars. Its outwardly professed ideology is "Red Star Shines, United and Progress Together."
Shen Xuan founded this institute, investing an enormous amount of high-quality resources: experienced teachers, excellent instruments, abundant Spirit Stones, precious Cultivation Techniques, and superior Spiritual Land...
On the surface, it systematically cultivates talents in various cultivation techniques specialties.
In reality, it is conveying an ideology.
Under the unified belief of benefiting the world and securing the people, unite and collaborate, advancing hand in hand to propel the development of cultivation civilization in Song Country.
The position of headmaster is, of course, personally taken by True Master Profound Ice, Shen Xuan.
The vice headmasters are jointly held by Deputy Island Master True Master Hanyue, Qin Yuehan, and Upper Tier Pill Master Li Ruyi.
Li Ruyi also serves as the head of the core Alchemy Branch.
For the other branches such as Artifact Refining, Array, Spirit Talisman, Spirit Plants, Puppet, Beast Taming, Music, and Body Refining, they all employ Fake Pill Realm True Masters to preside over the teaching.
For instance, the head of the Body Refining Branch is Long Xiaoyun from Golden Dragon Island.
She dual-cultivates Spiritual Techniques and Body Refining, allowing her to integrate both and teach the students enrolled in the institute.
As for the head of the Artifact Refining Branch, it is taken by the True Master of Spirit Refining.
This individual is also the highest-ranking in all the branches.
A prodigious talent of Song Country, Golden Core True Master!
True Master of Spirit Refining could not refuse.
The conditions offered by Starlight Island were too generous.
Moreover, the business on the island was simply overwhelming.
Starlight Research Institute itself, deep-sea mining transport fleet, deep-sea mining engineering, large-scale mineral refining and smelting plants, various cultivation sites...
All are grand in scale and highly challenging projects, requiring his personal direction and supervision.
Therefore, he could only frequently travel between Starlight Island and his own Cave Mansion, along with dispatching several Direct Disciples to reside and teach at the Artifact Refining Branch.
Even the Beast Emperor Pavilion has dispatched a Fake Pill True Master and several Foundation Establishment cultivators to teach at the Beast Taming Branch.
Of course, the Beast Emperor Pavilion has its own interests at heart.
Among the students, they seek those with talent in Beast Taming to attempt recruiting them into the Beast Emperor Pavilion.
Shen Xuan did not intervene in this.
His primary purpose in creating the Starlight Research Institute was not to recruit personnel for Starlight Island or Cyan Cloud Sect but to cultivate a group of cultivators with beliefs in their cultivation techniques.
In the future, these individuals may not necessarily serve Starlight Island or Cyan Cloud Sect.
But they must adhere to certain principles.
Thus, every student must make a Celestial Dao Oath before enrolling:
"Uphold the laws of heaven and earth, follow the order of all things, maintain righteousness, act with rules.
Stay loyal and dutiful, cherish family and elders, have a benevolent heart, place righteousness first.
Practice diligently without slack, forge the Dao Heart, work earnestly from morning till night, pursue the great Dao.
Do not unsheathe the sword lightly, do not kill beyond the boundary, respect life, do not harm the innocent.
Always safeguard the root of the Human Race, never betray the bloodline, protect the living beings, life and death as one.
Hereby make this vow, witnessed by heaven and earth. The Dao Heart as the pledge, the Divine Soul as the proof. If violated, may I suffer the punishment of Heavenly Dao, my Dao Foundation destroyed, never entering the cycle of reincarnation."
The core of the oath is simple.
Observing laws and rules, loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, diligent cultivation, refrain from wanton actions, and never betray the Human Race.
The tuition for students at the research institute is merely symbolic.
Every student can receive guidance from professional teachers to enhance their cultivation techniques.
After graduation, they can choose their own path freely.
Whether joining Starlight Island, Cyan Cloud Sect, other sects, returning to their family, serving other Cultivation Influences, or wandering the world, etc., are all permissible.
While serving as the headmaster of Starlight Institute, Shen Xuan ensured the funding, continuously reinforcing the ideology of "benefiting the world and securing the people" under the auspices of Starlight Institute.
Each term lasts three years.
Every student is encouraged to cultivate a mindset of learning and innovation, taking the development of Song Country’s cultivation civilization as their responsibility.
Shen Xuan clearly understands that relying on these students alone, achieving remarkable success in the short term is difficult.
He is merely sowing a seed.
Hoping that someday, the spark can ignite a prairie fire.
Each term enrolls over a thousand students.
In a hundred years, over thirty terms, there would be around forty to fifty thousand who have advanced at the Starlight Research Institute.
Many students might stray from the ideals of the Starlight Institute after graduation.
But as long as some accept and practice the institute’s ideals,
then Shen Xuan’s investment would not be in vain.
Ultimately, the most important resource in the Cultivation Realm is not Spirit Stone mines or Heavenly and Earthly Treasures.
It is the people, the cultivators themselves.
"Innovation, self-improvement, unity, development."
These ideals have been deeply imprinted within the hearts of these young cultivators by the Starlight Research Institute.
"No matter what, this counts as a meritorious act benefiting future generations in the Cultivation Realm of Song Country."
Through clear goals, regulated actions, consensus-building, and spiritual motivation, it cultivates batches of students with spiritual beliefs.
These students will permeate every aspect of the Cultivation Realm of Song Country.
Persistent efforts will surely enhance the overall strength of the Cultivation Realm of Song Country.
And improve the social atmosphere of the Cultivation Realm of Song Country.
The second significant event is the collaboration between Starlight Island and the Sea Race Tiger Shark Demon Race.
Far off thirty thousand miles on the sea outside Starlight Island, a gigantic deep-sea mining platform stands majestically.
Huge ore transport ships slowly set sail on their return journey, the hull breaking through the deep blue seawater, leaving a long white wake.
On the platform, more than a dozen Foundation Establishment disciples from the Thousand Mechanism Sect diligently work under the command of a Tier Three Artifact Refiner.
They manipulate complex arrays, with the sharp drill at the center of the platform slowly plunging into the deep sea, emitting a low rumble, shattering the hard underwater Profound Gold mineral veins.